Posted on 12/09/2016 4:06:02 AM PST by EBH
Portman/Murphy Bill Promotes Coordinated Strategy to Defend America, Allies Against Propaganda and Disinformation from Russia, China & Others
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) today announced that their Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act – legislation designed to help American allies counter foreign government propaganda from Russia, China, and other nations – has passed the Senate as part of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report. The bipartisan bill, which was introduced by Senators Portman and Murphy in March, will improve the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation by establishing an interagency center housed at the State Department to coordinate and synchronize counter-propaganda efforts throughout the U.S. government. To support these efforts, the bill also creates a grant program for NGOs, think tanks, civil society and other experts outside government who are engaged in counter-propaganda related work. This will better leverage existing expertise and empower local communities to defend themselves from foreign manipulation.
“The passage of this bill in the Senate today takes us one critical step closer to effectively confronting the extensive, and destabilizing, foreign propaganda and disinformation operations being waged against us. While the propaganda and disinformation threat has grown, the U.S. government has been asleep at the wheel. Today we are finally signaling that enough is enough; the United States will no longer sit on the sidelines. We are going to confront this threat head-on,” said Senator Portman. “With the help of this bipartisan bill, the disinformation and propaganda used against our allies and our interests will fail.”
“Congress has taken a big step in fighting back against fake news and propaganda from countries like Russia. When the president signs this bill into law, the United States will finally have a dedicated set of tools and resources to confront our adversaries’ widespread efforts to spread false narratives that undermine democratic institutions and compromise America’s foreign policy goals,” said Murphy. “I’m proud of what Senator Portman and I accomplished here because it’s long past time for the U.S. to get off the sidelines and confront these growing threats.”
NOTE: The bipartisan Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act is organized around two main priorities to help achieve the goal of combatting the constantly evolving threat of foreign disinformation. They are as follows:
The first priority is developing a whole-of-government strategy for countering foreign propaganda and disinformation. The bill would increase the authority, resources, and mandate of the Global Engagement Center to include state actors like Russia and China in addition to violent extremists. The Center will be led by the State Department, but with the active senior level participation of the Department of Defense, USAID, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the Intelligence Community, and other relevant agencies. The Center will develop, integrate, and synchronize whole-of-government initiatives to expose and counter foreign disinformation operations and proactively advance fact-based narratives that support U.S. allies and interests.
Second, the legislation seeks to leverage expertise from outside government to create more adaptive and responsive U.S. strategy options. The legislation establishes a fund to help train local journalists and provide grants and contracts to NGOs, civil society organizations, think tanks, private sector companies, media organizations, and other experts outside the U.S. government with experience in identifying and analyzing the latest trends in foreign government disinformation techniques. This fund will complement and support the Center’s role by integrating capabilities and expertise available outside the U.S. government into the strategy-making process. It will also empower a decentralized network of private sector experts and integrate their expertise into the strategy-making process.
Maybe that’s where I’ve seen this before? Along with a lot of history books.
If our education systems were actually teaching our kids, instead of indoctrinating them, we would not ‘need’ a ministry of censorship.
This is bad. Are they going to get this in front of Obama before he leaves office? Since Trump has such little respect for the MSM would he even sign something like this?
Notice we have not heard of this nonsense and the not so lame duck session, sure doesn’t look so lame to me.
Who signs the new NDAA? Obama or Trump?
True, but this bill potentially cuts access to alternative news sources that don’t agree with the government viewpoint.
Looks like Obama - http://dailycaller.com/2016/12/08/senate-sends-veto-proof-defense-spending-bill-to-obamas-desk/
It’s internet censorship pure and simple.
Portman needs to be run out on a rail.
Congress shall pass no law restricting free speech.
When they take the 1st amendment from us it’s the reason for the 2nd.
Of course the government decides what disinformation is.
*
And there are those who claim that Portman, McConnell, and the rest are conservatives and worthwhile Republicans.
Portman is just another DAMN RINO.
Ministry of Truth bump for later.....
I second your worries.
By 2 repugnantcans no less.
I don’t trust them at all.
I think many repubs in congress still HATE the idea that Trump won and are looking to crush REAL conservative social media.
Finally the phone is going to quit ringing everyday. I’m sick of all of those calls from the Ruskies.
Exactly. That's exactly what this is: empowering the government to restrict information flow. I don't care what flowery feel-good language they use to describe it.
The President-elect needs to be in front of this. The so-called "fake news" is what got him elected. He should realize without free flow of information there's no hope for him leading with any mandate. There's no hope for the country really.
It's no coincidence they are ramming this "bipartisan legislation" through Congress now, with a lame duck president, before the new government is sworn in.
“Is it too cynical to interpret this as the establishment of a globalist Ministry of Propaganda?”
No, it’s not. IMHO one should always view everything the government does with open eyes and appropriate wariness, no matter what the letter is after the name of the person(s) who initiate it. The bill bothers me because one person’s propaganda is another person’s truth. Who decides? What are the criteria?
Bizarre. The worst propaganda comes from the inside.
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